sarazarr Reviews

Happy Is Not Hard to Be (2005)

actually independent

[7/10 · 1 November 2005]

This is a great little independent film in the vein of Robert Altman or P.T. Anderson, only shorter (88 restrained minutes!) and without tragedy ensuing at every turn. Maybe Nicole Holofcener's movies (Walking and Talking, Lovely & Amazing) would make for a better comparison, because this film definitely has the woman's touch and not quite so much testosteroney angst. Writer/director/actress Cecil Castelucci is a working artist with many talents - her credits include songwriter, author of young adult fiction, and performance artist. No, it isn't the first movie about a handful of intertwining lives in L.A., and it won't be the last, but it's definitely one of the more watchable. I hope to see more from this director!

Cellular (2004)

these people are too stupid to live

[3/10 · 11 April 2005]

I rented this movie because I will watch anything with Bill Macy. Well, perhaps that shouldn't have been my only criteria. A shaky premise, a weak McGuffin, and the world's stupidest "hero" all add up to 94 minutes of my life I will never get back. I knew I was not in good hands within the first five minutes when Kim Basinger is walking her son to school. Turns out she's a high school science teacher. (I guess the horn-rim glasses are supposed to provide credibility on that front.) I don't know any teachers who have time to walk their children to school and return home for a cup of coffee and conversation with the maid (maid??) before heading off to work. Later in the movie when someone asks Kim if her family is rich, she laughs and says, "No, my husband is a realtor." (Actually she says "real-a-tor" but that's a whole different subject.) Yet they live in a giant house in Brentwood and have a maid. Anyway. The perplexities only increase as the movie goes on; the writers must think their audience is made up of the stupidest people alive, and judging from some of the positive reviews here they may be right. Special features on the DVD about the LA Rampart scandal attempt to lend credibility to the flick, but by then it's way too late. The sad part is that with the merest thought put into the story this could have been a fun popcorn movie.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Move along, nothing to see here.

[4/10 · 4 July 2004]

I went to this film with high expectations, as the filmmakers are somewhat local with their BYU connection and area press was very positive. I just didn't see anything in this movie that I haven't seen done before---and to better effect---in movies like Welcome to the Dollhouse, Election, and Rushmore. On the surface, it sort of seemed cool and ironic, but there was nothing beneath that. The whole "cool dorkiness" aesthetic is interesting but shouldn't be used just for the sake of itself. That's true for any artistic choice of tone or style or aesthetic. There's got to be something supporting it to make it worthwhile. There were some laughs, but on the whole there was nothing to connect it emotionally to something more.

Speak (2004)

A faithful, moving adaptation of a wonderful book.

[8/10 · 24 January 2004]

I was luck enough to see this film at Sundance. I'd read the book when it came out and loved it, but wasn't sure how it would translate to film, given that the main character really doesn't talk at all in the book. Jessica Sharzer's adaptation handles all of the potential problems beautifully, without changing the fundamental story and using voiceover only sparingly. What really makes the movie, though, is Kristen Stewart's complete embodiment of Melinda. She does things with her face that actors twice her age with twice her experience only wish they could do. Though the film is not at all didactic in nature, it would be a great one for teens to see with their parents. Lots of good material for discussion. It's great to see Laurie Halse Anderson's wonderful book get the screen treatment it deserves. If you like this movie, you might also like BLUE CAR, MANNY & LO, and THE CHOCOLATE WAR.

My Daughter's Secret Life (2001 TV Movie)

Better than your average TV movie.

[10/10 · 6 November 2001]

Great made-for-TV fun. A little edgier than your typical Lifetime fare and not nearly as cheesy (but cheesy enough to satisfy that cheese-jones). More realistic high school setting than one usually sees in these things, and the actors actually looked the ages they were supposed to portray. Good performances, good writing, and gotta love the not-so-happy ending.

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Story and music could have stood on their own.

[2 June 2001]

The concept behind 'Moulin Rouge' has so much potential and could have been a classic, if director Baz Luhrmann had trusted his audience just a bit more. The leading actors (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor), the use of music both familiar and original, the costumes, the color, the concept, and (above all) the love story were enough to make this a great movie. However, especially in the first half, the substance was secondary to the style. The fast cuts, sound effects, sped-up sequences, and slapstick often detracted from the strength of the story and the power of the music. For example, near the beginning there is a scene in the Moulin Rouge where the can-can dancers do a number to a minute or so of disco hit 'Lady Marmalade.' The spectacle, the costumes, the color and the anachronism would have had tremendous power if this sequence was filmed in one or two shots. Instead, it was as series of jump cuts with lots of screaming and shouting obscuring the music. There were many similar scenes.

This movie had everything it needed to be great: a hero you root for, a tragic heroine, a villain you love to hate, wonderful music, and an original look. If only Luhrmann had resisted the temptation to pile on his signature effects, it could have achieved that greatness. That said, Kidman and McGregor were brilliant and sang all their own songs, and the concept and use of music were fascinating. It's worth seeing on the big screen for the spectacle of it all.

A Good Baby (1999)

Lovely and understated

[8/10 · 26 January 2001]

What another reviewer called lack of character development, I call understatement. The movie didn't bash one over the head with overexplanation or unnecessary backstory. Yes, there were many untold stories that we only got a glimpse of, but this was primarily a one-day snapshot into an event that catalyzed change in all of the characters' lives. Henry Thomas's performance was a really lovely study in the power of acting that focuses on reaction rather than action. Good rental.

Holy Smoke (1999)

It's not about what you think it's about.

[13 September 2000]

Many folks who have commented on this movie seem to think it's about religion. Religion is just a context here - the film is about men and women. Keitel's deprogrammer tries to get through to Winslet's character by stripping her of her sari, but it is Winslet who strips away Keitel's ideas about himself as a person and as a man, while at the same time struggling not to let her own bitterness define who she is as a woman. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and thought Kate Winslet really gave the performance of her life (so far, anyway). Not for the squeamish.